


Those Summer Nights

by PennilessOptimist



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: But a lake monster at the same time, F/M, He's still a cutie tho, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Mild Language, Possible eventual smut?, Pretty much still just a zora, Romance, Sidon's a lake monster, Sidon's always cute, Slow burn-ishhh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 12:51:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18261659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PennilessOptimist/pseuds/PennilessOptimist
Summary: One would assume renting out an isolated cabin by a lake would prove to give a more peaceful and non-eventful summertime experience. But when this specific lake appears to be the home of some sort of water creature, you'll find your summer vacation becoming much more interesting.





	1. The Cabin by the Lake

A puff of air passed your lips as you heaved your last luggage bag onto the bed you’d be sleeping on for the next month and a half. Currently, you were inside an old lakeside cabin. It was a bit rickety, but well kept, and had been renovated to make up for its age. It was made from oak wood, the same wood from the trees in the surrounding forests, which only made sense since the cabin had been made by hand decades ago from the trees that once stood in its place.

 

The cabin was small, but it was all you needed. The home was modest, as soon as one walked through the front door they would be met with a hallway that had only three doors, leading to three different sections of the cabin. 

 

The first door would lead into a quaint kitchen set up, with an old gas-lit stove and an icebox for a fridge, a counter to prepare meals on, and a little circular table with two wicker chairs to eat at. The second door would reveal the bedroom and study that you were going to be using. The bed was queen sized and set beside a window that gave a view of the lake outside, and there was an old wardrobe for storage and a desk to write at in the room as well. The third and final door led to a bathroom, and that was self-explanatory in its own right.

 

You’d decided to rent out this cabin from a friend of a friend of a friend. You needed a getaway, somewhere to go to escape the stresses of life that wasn’t too expensive to maintain while still giving you privacy for the time you’d be spending here and a way to work. And this cabin was perfect. It was secluded, the land it was built on was mostly private so you wouldn’t have to worry about anyone camping out nearby to intrude on you.

 

It was nestled into an area of the lake the was shrouded by the woods surrounding it. The lake itself was massive, roughly four miles across, and who knows how deep it was. You’d heard rumors it was ten miles deep in some spots, though you weren’t sure if word of mouth from the locals was a reliable source.

 

While the cabin was far out and semi-isolated if the need ever arose you could just drive out for roughly twenty minutes to get to the small town on the outskirts of the woods. You could go there if you needed groceries during your stay, supplies for your journaling, or even medicine if it was necessary, though you were hoping it wouldn’t be.

 

You shrugged off a light sweater you’d been wearing during the drive out to the lake, no longer needing it as you were starting to feel the heat of summer in this cabin that lacked air conditioning. Walking over to the window, you fingers fumbled with the latches before you were able to push up the bottom pane to let the crisp air inside. There were no window screens, so you were perfectly capable of setting your elbows down on the window sill and leaning your head out, taking in the beauty of the area.

 

From this window you could, of course, see the lake. You could also see the old dock that’d been built in front of the cabin that people could go fishing off of or board small boats from. Before the dock was an old cobblestone path that’d been embedded into the soil, offering a route straight from the front porch to the dock. 

 

You’d arrived in the morning, the sun had only come up a few hours ago, so a veil of mist and fog was settled over the lake. This made it a bit harder to see all the way out across the lake, but that wasn’t too big of an issue in your mind. You’d be here for more than a month, you’d have plenty of time to sit down and take in the sights.

 

You moved to push yourself away from the window when you felt an odd sensation- you got goosebumps across your arms and felt as though you were being watched. You looked out to the water one more time, and panicked momentarily when you saw a splash- you very quickly used logic to reason out that it must’ve just been a fish or maybe one of the ducks that called this lake their home.

 

You closed the window, not wanting to keep it open while you were gone, just to avoid bugs and the like. You made your way into the front hallway where you’d left some bags of miscellaneous food and supplies you’d purchased before getting to the lake. You brought these bags into the kitchen and started sorting everything out, placing non-perishable foods in the pantry the things that would need to stay cold in the icebox.

 

There were a few more things to store after that, like a first aid kit and some cleaning supplies, but you just left those on the countertop for the time being. For now, you wanted to go out to the lake and just enjoy… well,  _ the lake _ .

 

You kicked off your shoes on the front porch, not really needing them since your feet would get dirty in the grass and mud whether or not you had them on. You avoided the dock, instead deciding to walk out straight to the edge of the lake- where the water met land. 

 

At the water’s edge you leaned down to roll up your pants, and at this, you heard another splash. Your ears perked up, and you listened to see if you’d hear it again. That splash had sounded big- bigger than the splash of a normal fish jumping above the water. After a few moments of waiting curiously, however, all you could hear was the buzzing of crickets and the chirping of distant birds.

 

You shrug your shoulders as you stand up straight, slowly taking one step forward to feel the water- and immediately shiver, the lake wasting no time in making you feel it’s cool temperatures. It wasn’t a bad cold though, in fact, you welcomed it since it offset the heat of the summer, even in the morning hours.

 

You walked forward a few more steps until both of your feet were submerged and the water was about halfway up your calves. If you stood still your feet would sink into the soil so you walked around instead, not going further into the lake but instead circling around on the edge.

 

As you walked you let your gaze wander around, settling on random things that stood out to you- some of the blue and purple flowers that grew in the short grass just outside of the lake, the roots of trees that extended from the woods out to the shore, small snails and fish that you could just barely see in the murky water that would then hide as you walked by, and a pair of golden eyes that watched you from behind some foliage ahead-

 

Wait… what?

 

Golden eyes, you could’ve sworn you’d seen them, but when you did a double take to look back all you saw was moss and half-submerged bushes, no person or animal hiding behind them.

 

_ ‘Must just be seeing things,’ _ you reasoned in your mind. Maybe your mind was playing tricks on you, you hadn’t eaten breakfast yet and didn’t sleep much since you’d woken up very early to drive out here.

 

You didn’t spend much longer wading in the lake after that and walked back up to the cabin to grab a fishing rod and some bait- all the while still feeling like you were being watched.

 

…

 

About half an hour later you were sat in the middle of the dock, a fish rod propped up and a line thrown out into the water. The sun was higher up in the sky now and the fog above the lake had mostly cleared up. You estimated that it was roughly around eleven o’clock from all of this, but you’d left your phone in the cabin so you weren’t positive on that.

 

Next to you on the dock was a small radio, it’s little antenna stuck up so that you could listen to the music being broadcasted from the closest town to the lake. You hummed along to the music as you watched the line you’d cast, a little frustrated that no fish had tried to take a bite of your bait yet.

 

You huffed silently, mostly in frustration, as you reeled your line in. When the hook came above the water, the bait you’d put out was still there on the hook- untouched. Mocking the fact that you’d caught no fish yet. 

 

Stubbornly, you threw out the line again, farther into the lake this time. Maybe the fish just weren’t hanging around the dock, maybe they were deeper in the waters. You didn’t care where the fish were, you just weren’t leaving this spot until you caught something that you could cook and eat.

 

Ten minutes passed. And then another ten. And another ten. Until you lost track of how much time had passed, and there was still no fish.

 

You were close to giving up. You’d shut off the radio a long time ago when it’s cheery summertime tunes had started to greatly annoy you. “Are there no fish in this lake? Are they all just avoiding me?” you sighed, using one of your feet to kick at the water that was underneath the dock angrily.

 

You moved one of your hands to grab your fishing pole, ready to reel the line in and pack up your set up- when there was a thudding sound behind you.

 

Confused, you turn your head and look and see… a fish on the wood of the dock behind you. Your eyes watch curiously, your confusion doubling as another fish hops out of the water and lands on the first. “What… the hell?” you murmur as you stand up to investigate. 

 

You turn and kneel over the two fish, picking them up in your hands. It’s two carp, which you knew were native to this area. They were fairly sized, and you knew that the meat could last you until tomorrow night. But what concerned you the most is that they were both already dead. 

 

Both fish had what looked like teeth mark in their sides, big ones as well. Something had caught and killed these fish and then just… gave them to you.

 

While looking down at the two carp in your hands, you could see the dock below your feet as well. The wood had some gaps in it, and through one of these gaps, you could see… golden eyes looking up at you from below the water.

 

You gasp without meaning too, and before you can even say anything the eyes are gone again, and you can only assume whatever it was had already swam away.

 

“Wait, no!” you quickly exclaim, getting down to try and look below the dock. But all you can see is the murky lake water.

 

You frown as you sit back up again, balancing the carp in your hands as you look around. You have no idea who or what that was, but all you know as that you’re no longer alone at this lake. 


	2. Urban Legends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You decide to investigate and ask the locals about whatever it is that's living in the lake

Your lunch that day was one of the carps that this lake creature had caught for you. While you sat in the cabin and ate your food, you racked your brain for ideas and plans and ways to figure out just what exactly it was that was living in the water.

 

You decided that you’d head over to the town just outside the forest, ask around and talk to the locals. Maybe they’d seen something, or even someone, hanging in and around the lake or any of the rivers that came from this lake.

 

After lunch, you grabbed your phone and put on some sneakers before dashing out to your car, too curious to want to waste any time. As soon as you got to the driver’s side door, a subtle shiver went down your spine. You were being watched again.

 

You glanced around, focusing your attention on the lake. When you didn’t see anything though, you simply shrugged your shoulders and got into the car. The drive into town was quick and non-eventful, the music from your car radio dipping in and out since the airway reception was spotty in the forest.

 

The roads in this small town were bumpy, beaten, and hadn’t been maintained in quite some time. You were careful to avoid potholes and bumps and eventually pulled into a parking spot outside of a general store. Stepping out of your car, you lock your door behind you and kick some rocks aside as you make your way up the porch steps and into the store.

 

Once inside, you find yourself looking around curiously. The shop is a mix of an antique store and a corner store, one side of it being lined with old trinkets and handcrafted toys and decorations, while the other side had the necessities of a camping trip with food, medical supplies, drinks, and other little things.

 

“Hello there dearie, looking for anything specific today?”

 

You whip your head around and see an older lady sitting behind the register. She’s a bit short though fit for her age, her hair is grey and tied up in a bun atop her head, and she wears a baby pink cardigan to keep warm since you finally notice that the air conditioning is being blasted inside.

 

“Oh, hi,” you reply a bit awkwardly, waving a hand (to which she returns the gesture by waving her own frail hand), “I don’t need anything I guess… I’m, uh, I’m staying in that old cabin out by the lake, renting it out for the next few weeks. I was wondering if anyone here knew anything about the area… maybe, um, about any interesting animals that might be living here?”

 

The sudden sound of wood slamming down on something makes you jump. You turn once more and see an older man standing in the back of the store, tightly holding a wooden cane in his hands. “Bah! That old cabin, they should’ve torn that thing down decades ago. Us folk warned them about that lake, and they didn’t wanna listen,” he ranted, his voice gruff and loud, “You’re the first person I’ve seen rent it in two years! No one wants to stay there, and I assume you weren’t told about what’s living in that lake, huh?”

 

“Oh George, you’re going to scare the young girl,” the woman behind the register sighs, chastising who you can only assume is her husband while shaking her head, “he’s over exaggerating dear, you have nothing to worry about. Now, what have you seen that’s got you asking questions?” she continues, turning to look at you as she asks the question.

 

You thought about it for a moment before answering. “Well, I’ve heard something big splashing in the water, bigger than any native fish in the area, and I know birds can’t be making that much noise either. I keep feeling like I’m being watched, and I think something’s chasing away the fish as well,” you explain to the couple.

 

George walks past some of the display stands, his cane clunking on the wooden floor with every other step he takes towards you. “Have you seen… the golden eyes?” he asks, narrowing his gaze.

 

You don’t say yes but just nod your head. George curses under his breath, “goddammit. That means Big Red’s watching you.”

 

“Big Red?” you immediately ask, confused by the name.

 

“Big Red! The fish monster in the lake!” he exclaims, waving his cane around, “I’ve seen him, Meredith’s seen him, ask any of the older folk in this here town and they’ll tell you about Big Red. We used to go fishing in the lake and it’s streams before they fenced it off as private property for that damn cabin.”

 

“Why is he called… Big Red?” you wonder aloud.

 

“Oh dearie, you’ll know if he ever shows himself to you,” Meredith answers, tapping her fingers on the register absentmindedly, “he’s got these bright, scarlet red scales. Bright enough to see when it’s dark out, and bright enough to see in that muddy lake water- when you’re not looking at his eyes, of course.”

 

“He’ll draw you in! Toy with your mind, act friendly, and then he’ll catch you! Ask the Johnsons, they lost their teenage son a few decades ago, and we all know it had something to do with Big Red,” George continued on, hitting his cane on the ground with such vigor that it made the display stand beside him shake momentarily.

 

You turn and see Meredith shaking her head at him. She looks at you and offers you a smile, raising one of her hands and beckoning you towards her. You do just that and walk over to the register. “You’ll be fine dear, don’t listen to George. However, if you think you’re even in danger, just use this,” she explains, pressing a small object into your hands.

 

You look down to examine it. It was a cylindrical whistle on a string, barely bigger than your pinky. “It’s kind of like a dog whistle, very high pitched. If anything seems dangerous, and you think something- not just Big Red, might be attacking, blow on the whistle. It should distract the animal long enough for you to escape and find shelter,” Meredith spoke in a calm tone.

 

You nod, pocketing the whistle and smiling at the couple. “Well, thanks for all the advice. I’ll be sure to keep my eye out. And I’ll probably be back in town again next week to buy groceries and all that,” you let them know, walking backward and waving as you walk out of the store.

 

You jog back to your car and hop in, shutting the door and locking it. You take in a deep breath and slowly let it out through your nose as you try and think. A fish monster? That’s what’s been watching you?

 

A big, bright red fish monster. With golden eyes. You didn’t know if you believed it or not. It  _ had _ to just be a local urban legend. Monsters aren’t real, it just must’ve been some kind of inside joke in the small town.

 

You take another moment to gather your thoughts before driving back to the cabin. Once you get back it’s roughly five o’clock in the afternoon, and the sun is beginning it’s descent in the distance meaning that the sky is bathed in an orange glow. You park your car and wander over to the dock, sitting at the end and looking around the lake.

 

It seems like just any other ordinary lake. With fish and birds and foliage, and  _ no  _ red fish monster living in the murky depths. Curious, you pull the whistle out of your pocket. You run your fingers over the little metal tube and the little small indentations. Using your shirt, you clean off the mouthpiece before raising the whistle up to your lips.

 

You blow but don’t hear the whistle tone- what you do hear, however, is a sudden splashing. Almost as though something was startled and panicking in the water. You immediately pull the whistle away and look around for the source of the splashing. 

 

The water of the lake is rippling and it seems as though the ripples and small waves were coming from a part of the water shrouded in bushes and tall grass. Slowly, you raise the whistle to your lips and blow it again- and this time the results are more immediate.

 

A wave gets splashed towards you and you gasp as you get soaked in water. Clearly, whatever this is doesn’t like hearing the whistle. You huff as you put the whistle away and twist the fabric of your shirt to ring it out.

 

“I guess the whistle’s annoying but there was no need to retaliate that way,” you say aloud, not sure who or what you’re even talking to. You realize you also might sound like an idiot since this thing might not even understand English.

 

You decide to head back inside and change out of the wet clothing. As you walk back up the dock you hear one more splash. Curious, you turn and see a something shiny where you’d previously been sitting. You go back and pick it up, and see it’s a little bracelet. 

 

You balance it in your palm as you look over it, seeing it’s a silver band with little blue gems embedded into it. “Thank… you?” you say aloud, unsure of the words as they come from your mouth.

 

You pocket the bracelet as you head back to the cabin. Once inside you fish through your luggage for some comfortable clothes you can wear into the night and head into the bathroom. You strip off the wet clothes and let each piece hang on the towel rack to air dry. You have a quick shower to refresh yourself before changing into the new clothing as well.

 

Sometime later you're sat on the porch in an old rocking chair, watching as the sun sets in the west. The sky has become an indigo color, making it so the lake and everything around is cast in shadow. There are still some clouds up above catching the light of the sun, so parts of the sky are shades of pink and peach and violet.

 

You look down at the bracelet in your hands. For some reason, you couldn’t keep your hands off of it. You spun it around in your fingers, curiously examining the grooves in the silver and the shape of the little gems. You’d noticed that since it was night now, the little gems were beginning to glow in a why, like they were a kind of luminescent.

 

You need to know what this thing is. You won’t be able to rest comfortably knowing that this… creature was living right outside the cabin and you have no clue what it is.

 

You hop off of the rocking chair and walk off the porch steps, walking straight towards the dock and to the end. Though it’s dark now, your eyesight’s adjusted and you can just barely see out into the water.

 

You tap one of your feet on the old wood of the dock, the sound reverberating around the lake in the quiet of the night. “Look. I don’t know what you are. Don’t know if you understand me, either. I could be sounding like a total idiot right now,” you say aloud, unsure if your words are even being heard, “but I just want to see you. I know you’ve been watching me. It would be greatly appreciated if I could just know who you are.”

 

You get no response. You wait for a few more moments and there’s still no response. The lake is too quiet, eerily quiet, as though everything nearby is trying it’s hardest to make no noise.

 

You didn’t realize you’d been holding your breath until you start feeling light headed. You sigh, giving up as you turn to walk to the cabin. However, in the dark, you misplace your feet and lose your balance.

 

You gasp as you fall backwards, off the dock and into the water. In a panic, you forget how to swim, trying desperately to find the dock and hold onto it. 

 

You’re hyperventilating, you can’t focus- and then you feel a pair of arms circle around your torso.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooo new update. I'm on a roll this week, hell yea

**Author's Note:**

> ooo, another Sidon story, because I'm self indulgent and love the big red fish prince


End file.
